The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 24, 1926, Page 3

, IMAC DONALD ASKS| eMINE RELIEF IN | LETTER TO U.S, Tost Message Turns Up » to Forestall George 1 (Special to The Dally Worker) ) LONDON — The text of ex-Premier ‘acDonald’s letter answering Premier jaldwin’s recent message to America arding the British coal strike was blished here today. The letter was ent by Ramsay MacDonald from ‘Lossiemouth, Scotland, on Friday to Dr. Marion Phillips, secretary of the hMiners' Women’s Relief Association, | who had asked him to write it. But jit was wrongly addressed, so that it iid not reach Dr, Phillips until today. First Refused. At first Mr. MacDonald declined to write it, which was the reason why |“Emperor” Cook, the’ miners’ leader, ySaid last week that Mr. MacDonald |would not write a reply to Premier | Baldwin, but that David Lloyd George ‘ would. The MacDonald letter is addressed “to Miss Wilkinson, a member of the Parliament, now in America trying to »raise funds for the families of the Striking coal miners, It reads: Wide-Spread Distress. “You and your colleagues have my ‘best wishes for the success of your mission to America on behalf of our locked-out miners’ wives and children. No one who knows our mining dis- tricts doubts the distress in which our ‘miners’ dependents are. “It is true that, owing to the fine response to appeals for funds made by the women of our labor movement and by the miners’ leaders, a strenuous fight has been made against actual starvation. Government Starving Children. “This contest with hunger has also been helped by the feeding of school children by some of our education authorities and by the assistance given by the poor law authorities. “But, as the lock-out lasts, slowly and cruelly distress of a heart-rending kind invades our homes. With the con- nivance of the government, public re- lief is being drastically curtailed. Says Authorities Have Cut Relief. “Some poor-law authorities are re- fusing help to the miners’ dependents; others are cutting down the scales of relief to inhuman standards, and the education authorities are limiting their feeding operations. “Starvation is pushing us back, and further help is urgently needed to pre- vent this great fight for human stand- ards of'life and economic justice be- coming an abiding tragedy to the min- ers’ wives and little ones. Statements to the contrary, by whomsoever made, are but part of the mine-owners’ at- tempt to reduce the miner to subjec- tion by the slow starvation of his family. Appeals To America. “I know that an appeal made to the kindly heart of America has always met with a generous response, “Your voice in this mission is the voice of women and children in dire need, and I have enough good friends among the American people who know that I would not havé written this un- less I was convinced both as to the justice of the cause and the need of the appeal.” Suits Hit Ex-Kaiser. DRESDEN, Aug. 22, — Suits have been filed here against the ex-kaiser and his wife, Princess Hermine, by Katherine Muller, a woman healer. The plaintiff seeks the costs of a four months cure of Prince Ferdinand, son .of Princess Hermine, who she says suffered from a linguistic defect. The costs have been disputed, The case is set for trial on Sept. 29. 277,290 Unemployed in Germany. BHRLIN, Aug, 22. — The National Labor Office announces that there are still 277,290 unemployed workers in the city of Berlin. French Cabinet Plans to Restrict Imports THE DAILY WORKER LL. D. PROTESTS and Ute of Products |MPRISONMENT OF PARIS, Aug. 22—The French cabinet has adopted a series of restrictions on the import and consumption of commodities, which will practically Place the French people on “war ra- tions,” according to reports leaking out, the measures themselves yet being held in close secrecy. Poincare is expected to announce the details today, however. The pre- mier would not comment on the scheduled conversations with the U, 8. Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon, whose’ “vacation trip” has turned out to be closely connected with the debt settlements. Mellon is soon due in Paris, He previously had a talk with Mussolini, fascist premier of Italy, * © 8 War Bread for Italians, ROME, Aug. 22, — King Victor Emmanuel has signed a decree for- bidding the use of white flour in the manufacture or sale of bread, cakes or pastry and its use in private homes, The decree is effective September 15. WOOD VETOES REFERENDUM ON INDEPENDENCE Filipinos to Pass Bill Despite Governor MANILA, P, I, Aug, 22.—Governor- General Leonard A. Wood, has again vetoed the bill-for a referendum un- animously presented to ‘him by the Filipino legislature. This is the sec- ond bill of this kind that Wood has vetoed. Prominent men here have publicly protested against General Wood’s ac- fon, branding him as a tool of the reactionary forces in the United States that desire to maintain’ their hold on the Philippines. Everywhere in Manila one hears protests against this latest defy of public expression on the part of the governor general. The bill will be returned to the le- gislature wheer it will undoubtedly be re-adopted over Wood’s veto, as every representative and senator is pledged to work for independence. A campaign is under way’ ‘to’ bring pressure to fbear on Coolidge urging him to sign the bill permitting the plebiscite in the islands. According to the constitution and the powers granted to the president by a long series of usurpations he“hag the au- thority to grant the referendum. The bill that Wood vetoed provides for a referendum vote of the Filipino people on the issue of immediate independence, Col. Carmi A. Thompson has not expressed himself to date on thea veto of the referendum bill, as the president's representative is shrewd- ly avoiding all direct. pronouncements on the independence question. He hides under the cloak of being an economic investigator and tries to im- press on the Filipinos the. need for permitting U. §S. capital te exploit the island treasures. Bolivia Refuses to Explain Anti-Chile Speech in Congress LA PAZ, Bolivia, Aug. 22, — The Bolivian government, upon demand of the Chilean minister, who requested to be informed if the anti-Chilean speech of Felipe Guzman, president of the senate, in the Bolivian congress, represented the attitude of the govern- ment, has refused to explain, Bolivia, which is well controlled by the North American bankers, cites in reply, two prominent Chileans, who haye spoken against the intervention of the. United States inthe Tacna- Arica, Feed British Miners’ Wives and Kiddies! “IF we can only get sufficient assistance to save the women and chil- dren from starvation we will win this great struggle,” declared Paul McKenna, National Board member of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, to the Milwaukee Central Trad ing for atd to the striking British miners and Labor Council in appeal- Germany Trying | to Buy Towns Given Belgium at Versailles and Belgium, for the purchase by the former of Eupen and Malmedy, border towns formerly belonging to Germany. These towns were to Belgium he _ by the treaty of Versailles, The Germans are taking advantage of the con- “ dition, of the Belgian franc to. make the deal. France Is protesting vigor: POLISH WORKERS Demands General Am- nesty for 7,000 Jailed A cablegram to the prime minister of Poland protesting against the con- tinued imprisonment of workers and peasants for political or economic opinions and demanding the granting of general’ amnesty has just peen despatched by International Labor Defense, BARTEL, PRIME MINISTER, WARSAW, POLAND. IN THE NAME OF TWO HUN- DRED FIFTY THOUSAND MEM- BERS, reads the cablegram, WE DEMAND GENERAL AMNESTY FOR SIX THOUSAND POLITICAL PRISONERS WHO FOUGHT FOR CAUSE OF WORKERS AND PEAS- ANTS, INTL, LABOR DEFENSE, James P. Cannon, Seo’y, Frightful Picture. Reliable reports from Poland paint a frightful picture of the persecution of workers and peasants and national minorities in that country. Upward of seven thousand of these are now in Polish prisons for no other reason than their political or economic be- liefs and activities. The Polish dic- tator Pilsudski has merely continued the policies of the old regime in this question. An Inter-Party Secretariat for the struggle for general amnesty in Po- land, representing a number of radi- cal and liberal parties in the Polish Sejm (parliament) has been formed to centralize the demand for general amnesty which is the desire of the great majority of the Polish popula- tion. Friends and sympathizers in all countries have been urged to express their opinion and demand of the Po- lish government the immediate free- dom of the imprisoned thousands, Nation-Wide Campaign. International Labor Defense, it is announced is beginning a nation-wide campaign of protest in behalf of the imprisoned workers and peasants. Efforts are being made to secure a cablegram of protest from leading writers, artists, public men and liber- al and radcial individuals of all shades of opinion. Petition blanks are also being circulated thruout the country demanding general amnesty in Poland and scores of resolutions of a similar nature have already been adopted by workers’ organizations and gatherings in all parts of the United States. Pilsudski Bragging Fails to Bring Down the Cost of Living WARSAW, Poland, Aug. 22.—All of the bragging on the part of the Pil- sudski supporters that the zloty would be stabilized and the cost of living brought closer to the wage level, has been in vain. The cost of living con- tinues to rise. No increase in business is noted in Poland except in the Silesian coal fields. At present these mines are sending out large shipments of coal to England. The Jewish minorities from Brest- Litqvsk to Vilna are faced with a hard winter and possible starvation. The government has ignored all protests of these minorities against existing evils and thrown aside all proposals made by these minorities for the pro- tection of these minorities, Cleveland Public Forum Starts Its Open-Air Meetings CLEVELAND, Aug. 22.—The Cleve- land public forum has begun a series of meetings on the public Square which will be held regularly every Friday evening until October 1 when indoor meetings will start, The first meeting was addressed by Carl Hacker, secretary of the Cleve- land Local of International Labor De- fense, his subject being “International Labor Defense and the Sacco-Vanzetti Case.” Altho it rained during the early part of the evening and during a part of the meeting an audience of about 200 listened to what the speaker had to say. Lundin-Small Gang to Run Robertson for Chicago’s Mayor The LundinSmall gang in the open- shop republican party have declared their intention of running Dr. John Dill Robertson, who was implicated in the school graft quiz under Mayor Wil- liam Hale Thompson's administration, for mayor of Chicago on the February primaries, The Deneen group, which worked in conjunction with the Lundin-Small combination in the April 18 primaries, is dissatisfied with the Lundin-Small choice, Both the Deneen and the Lun- din-Small groups are not able to nom- inate candidates independently, It is expect ae t both groups will agree on some promise candidate. SEND INA TODAY TO THE BAIL TE Cee TAMES W GERARD, FORMER AMBASSADOR, GETS N, Y. STATE JOB JAMES W. GERARD. One of America’s foremost jingoes and former ambassador to Germany, has been chosen by Gov. Smith of New York to represent the “public” on a commission to investigate in- dustrial relations between “labor” and “capita UNIFICATION OF STREET CAR AND ‘LIS DISCUSSED Wiseibtes. and the City Council Confer The unification of the surface, ele- vated and the construction of subway lines was discussed at a stormy meet- ing of the transportation committee of the Chicago council, executives of the surface and elevated lines and the bankers financially interested in these companies, Samuel Insull, chairman of the board of the “L” lines; Leonard A. Busby, president of the Chicago City Railway company; James M. Sheaan, spokesman for Henry A. Blair, presi- dent of the, Chicago Surface Lines; Frank O. Wetmore of the First Na- tional Bank; Melvin A. Traylor, First Trust and Sayings Banks; Eugene Ste- vens, Illinois Merchants’ Trust com- pany; John R. Blount, Illinois Mer- chants’ Trust company, and A. W. Harris, Harris Trust company. The city was represented by Mayor Dever, Corporation Counsel Busch, and members of the city council committee on local transportation. Ald, Joseph B. McDonough (13th), chairman of the committee, presided. James Sheaan on behalf of Blair stated that no talk of unification of the transportation lines and the building of subways could be considered nor could there be any agreement on an ordinance contract until the state legislature. had changed its laws on transportation giving the traction lines more power. Samuel Insull was put on record as favoring the discussion of a cor- porate merger or operating the unifica- tion with a change of transfers and stated he was willing to consider any subway plan that would bring “reason- able returns.” Members of the city council at various times clashed with these trac- tion magnates, It is expected that some traction ordinance will be sub- mitted to the voters in the coming elections, Coney Island Concert for Passaic Strikers Will Be Held Aug. 28 NEW YORK, Aug. 22. — Ben Gold, president of the joint board of the Furriers’ Union of New York City, af filiated with the American Federation of Labor, announces another great stride for the progress of the milk and bread fund concert for the Passaic strikers’ children, which is to be held at the Coney Island Stadium, August 28. During the past four weeks more than $6,000 has been collected for this affair. The Furriers’ relief commit- tee was organized to take care of all donations, and it reports that $15,000 is expected before the month is over. “Ty” Cobb Assails Baseball Magnate for Vicious Attack WASHINGTON, Aug, 22.—Accusing Clark Griffith, owner of the Washing- ton Senators, with inspiring local sport writers to attack him, Ty Cobb, manager of the Detroit Tigers, wrote an open letter to Griffith, in which he described the Washington magnate vicious gentleman,” and de- clared he was “guilty of prevarica- tion.” 0 Griffith, it fs stated, accused Cobb of holding up + Five doWars will renew your sub for a year, if you send it in Thig Farmers Section will appear regularly In every Monday morning’s isaue of The DAILY WORKER. Watch for it. FARMERS DEALT HARD BLOW BY CAPITALIST LAW Poodugats > Late When Cannery Goes Broke ASHLAND, Wis.—(FP)— Farmers here have been stung again by capi- talist law and they are not going to forget it. A legal quirk, which they as producers knew nothing about, cost 19 farmers losses up to $200 apiece, The Northern Canneries, to which they took their peas, went bankrupt. Farmers had co-operated to the ut- most with this outside concern, de- livering their peas without asking eash. The concern suddenly shut down, Stunned by the sudden wiping out of the market for their crops, they prepared to file their claims in bank- ruptcy court for a share of what was left. Legal advice from Superior, seat of the bankruptcy. court, was to the effect that the farmers’ claims were unsecured, whereas there were $135,- 000 of secured claims ahead of them and the farmers would not get a cent. “We consider it a waste of time and money to file your claims,” they were advised, Farmers wonder why their peas, without which the cannery never would have been built at all, are un- secured while all sorts of other claims are preferred and secured. At Ladysmith, another community near here where the Fame Canning Co. has a cannery, farmers are arous- ed over the company’s alleged busi- ness methods. Farmers say the com- pany compels them to cut the crop so early that they don’t get enough to pay for the labor and seed, nor as much as was agreed upon by the company. The company’s excuse is that labor laws interfere with profits. They maintain that labor in the canneries is not injurious to people who are under age. They imply that if they eould work child labor to the limit, they could give the farmer more for bis peas. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REPOR: FINDS FARMERS’ INCOME IS SHRUNKE! By LELAND\OLDS, Federated Press, ! A gain of $24 in the annual wage of the average American farmer fe’ the farm year 1925-26 still leaves hitm far short of the wages paid in industr; according to the U. 8. department oft agriculture, The department finds the, after allowing for a conservative intexest return en the farmer’s investmer the average farm family earned only $648 for its iabor and management. The farmer’s pay, the department says, is still nearly 80% below that « 1919-20. has fallen about 10 per cent. Gross Income Figures. The department estimates the gross income from agriculture in 1925-26 at $12,415,000,000 compared with $12,- 003,000,000 in 1924-25, an increase of about 4 per cent. The 1925-26 total is made up of $9,891,000,000 cash in- come from sales of farm products and $2,524,000,000, the value placed on food and fuel produced and consumed on the farms. The gross income includes $3,577,- 000,000 for dairy and poultry products, $2,746,000,000 for meat animals, $1,- 682,000,000 from the cotton crop, $1,- 625,000,000 for fruits and vegetables. and $1,565,000,000 for grains. Accord- ing to the department increased in- come from potatoes, dairy products and meat animals more than offset de- clines from grains and cotton, Out of the gross income, says the department, farmers paid $6,812,000,- 000, including $1,216,000,000 wages to hired labor, $3,076,000,000 for products and services of other industries, re- pairs and maintenance of buildings and equipment; $635,000,000 taxes; $1,127,000,000 rent on property rented from non-operators, and $758,000,000 interest on mortgages and other in- debtedness held by non-operators, Net Cash Shrinks, The difference between gross farm income and expenses is $5,603,000,000, which represents the net farm’ in- come for the year. But $2,524,000,000 of this net income was in the form of food and fuel consumed by the farmers themselves. So the farmers’ net cash income shrinks to $3,079,- 000,000, The net farm income of $5,603,000,- 000, including the farm products con- sumed on the farms, gives the aver- age farm family a net return of $879. This is all that was available for the farm operator’s capital, labor and “CROP-GRABBING” IS PRECARIOUS PROFESSION IN EASTERN MONTANA (From The Producers News, Plentywood, Mont.) “Oscar Collins got Castor Oiled” was the news that spread like wildfire over Eastern Montana the first of this week. Everywhere men laughed and when they heard the particulars of Right!” the event exclaimed. “Served Him John McKee, the notorious crop grabber, was the only one who felt sorry for the purged ex-sheriff who wound up his career as an emer gency man for foreign loan sharks. Oscar and “Apple Tree” Enter Lands According to an affidavit written by Onstad and Greer and signed and sworn to by Collins, he (Collins) went out to Melvin Granrud’s place near Raymond to take possession of a place where the period of redemption has not yet expired but where a notorious _jand accosting Collins inquired of him Glendive judge, named Lieper issued a writ “of assistance” ordering the oc- cupier off his land and putting the company represented by McKee into possession. Collins was representing McKee and in company with a Plenty- wood character named “Apple Tree” Johnson entered into possession of Granrud’s farm. Granrud has a good crop on which McKee has been cast- ing longing eyes for some time. Barnhouse Castigates Scab. About 3 p. m. on Saturday 50 or 60 farmers gathered on the Granrud farm who sent him out there and what he was doing, He answered that he was representing McKee and that he was taking possession of the place for the Plentywood shark and was receiving pay therefore. He then started to give the assembled farmers a “snake in the grass” talk. He said be was there in pursuance of law, etc. “You are a Mar,” said Ulysses Grant Barnhouse of Comertown. “You know there is no law to deprive a man of his place dur- ing ‘the period of redemption, This: law has been in effect 400 years and it does not come with good grace from a man like you, Oscar, who took ad- vantage of this redemption law your- self to deprive an old neighbor of his homestead. You have lived amongst the people assembled here today and they put into office and fed you when you needed it and now you come around here and try to scab on them and take the bread out of the mouths of their children.” d. Pleads for Mercy. Collins wilted under the verbal cas- tigation of the Comertown farmer who was born in the throes of the Civil war when his father was fighting to abol- ish black slavery and was baptised with the name of one of the great gen- ‘als and presidents of the country, ‘e never thought, you would sink a pa. sd - +> whose name is a household word in Sheridan county. As’ Collins looked around and saw the scornful looks on the faces of Sheridan county’s lead- ing farmers who were assembled there he shrunk up like a cur with his tail between his legs. He saw a man twirling a hemp rope around he stat- ed in his affidavit. He pleaded for mercy and promised that if he were let go he would never return again and would not attempt to grab any other farmer’s crop. Drinks Castor ON “Can I go now, gentlemen,” he said, but he was reminded that the crowd wanted to give him a little drink as he looked pale. He was then grabbed by the mob, he states in his affidavit, and a liquid substance was injected into his system thru his throat which made him “sick, sore and sorry.” It is said he was given a pint. was released he at once jumped in his When he car, and in company with “Apple Tree” Johnson he drove at @ furious rate towards the city of Plentywood. Hold Their Noses, It is understood that Collins kept very close to his house the night the dose was administered, He was seen on the streets and in the pool halls next day and it was noticeable that several persons held their noses be- tween thumbs and forefingers when they passed by him, Collins states that he wil) go back to Granrud’s place again and appeared before Judge Paul Thursday afternoon and applied for a permit to carry concealed weapons. Several farmers laughed at this and said with a knowing wink that they would like to see him come on their land, McKee Nervous, The Castor Oil remedy for crop grabbers was tried first in Montana ton Blyd, CANVASSERS WANTED The DAILY WORKER is in a position to make a good pro- position to a limited number of canvassers in Chicag ritory. Permanent position with good income. Tolar phone Monroe 4712 or any morning at 10 a. m. 1113 W. Washing- In the same period the average wage paid in manufacturing industr p Sat management, It compares with $86 in 1924-25, Tribute to Capital. The department’s figures show tha: the farmer’s tribute to capital in 4h) form of rent and interest amounted & $1,885,000,000, exceeding by $069, 000,000 the amount paid in wagea 4 hired labor, This toll exacted by thy landlord and money lender was ¢hm more than half again as large ageth: farm wage bill. And the figure doe not include the tribute to industria capital in the form of profits on the industrial products purchased farmers. bide No Ground forMopa, Prospects for the current. year af “ford the farmer no ground for hope that his situation will improve. The Jetly 29 report of the department shows farm prices falling. They have ab ready reached a level 14 points below July a year ago. The biggest declines compared with last July are found in graims and eotton. The department gives the following figures showing the prices of various farm products in terms of their averages in the period 1909-1914 as 100 per centt Index oftfarm prices 1925 1926 GrAiDs saeco - 152% 125% Fruits & vegetabl 195 Meat animals ... 152 Dairy & poultry . ° 131 Cotton & Cotton seed. 186 126 Unclassified, —.... 81 All groups ~.... 149% 185% The purchasing power of farm prod- ucts in terms of non-agricultural prod- ucts in June fell to 87 per cent, com- pared with a pre-war 100 per cent and the department figures indicate that July will show another drop to 85 per cent, WRITE AS YOU FIGHT! on Collins, as far as is known. It ig sald to be a very effective specific for anti-social crimes. McKee ts said to be very uneasy and nervous since the crowd of irate farmers used this new weapon on one of his tools. De- spite the writs given him by his friend Lieper, McKee has not been able to obtain possession of a single foreclosed place this enmmer, indignation, *y. ee There fs widespread indignetien amongst the farmers and business men that such attacks should be made on the tillers of the soil byvfseugnos of such writs and e@ close watch is being kept on judges who. come?-ta here and set law and justic so that outsiders may grab the .exops af the people. It is now certats dak every judge who issues such orders will have to make an eccounting to the peopla when he stands for elem tion, The truth will be given tovthe public about the biased toolset the loan\sharks sitting on the bench fast as it is now given the people about the legislators who voted a bank guarantee law, All the respectable lawyers tlm tywood and vicinity have cease@.asi> ing for interference with people dun ing their period of redemption, There is a widespread sentiment that any one who interferes with the sight of the farmer to reap his crop im peace is an enemy of the community end should be treated as such, William Owen Dies, William Owen, 63, one of the “old school” of the legitimate stage, and once nationally famous for his per- trayal of “Shylock” in the merchant of Venice, died at a hospital here today following a long illness, Get an autographed copy of Red Cartoons by Fred Ellis and Robert GINSBERG’S Vegetarian Restaurant — 2324-26 Brooklyn Avenue, LOS ANGELES, CAL. 0 ter.